Thread by @Reashiee

Maharashtra is facing a deadly heatwave. Government's negligence has already caused death of 13+ people in Navi Mumbai and hundreds are in Hospital.

But do you know what the Maharashtra Government is upto?

Thread.....

They are planning to conduct surveys in Rajapur area for the Saudi Aramco backed biggest petrochemical refinery project in the world.
According to sources on ground, around 1500-2000 police force will be deployed against the protesting villagers in coming days.

These orders have come from the top echelons of the government. Villagers fear that police will take violent action against them, but despite this, people from all age groups and gender will come out and protest against these surveys.

Last year when surveys were conducted without villagers' consent, villagers had come out in protest. Police had attacked them, injuring women protestors.

Few months ago, a journalist critically reporting on the issue was murdered in broad daylight by one of the refinery supporters.
Several movement leaders were slapped with externment notices.

Intimidation, threats from rich land mafias has become a norm in this area.

The Barsu Solegaon Panchakroshi, the proposed refinery area is one of the most beautiful areas you'll ever come across. Pristine coastline, biodiversity rich plateau, serene waterbodies & one of its kind, thousands of years old Geoglyphs, the area is ideal for ecotourism.

But the government wants to turn this entire area into a chemical zone, by constructing a petrochemical refinery which will not only destroy the unique ecology of the area, but it will destroy sustainable livelihood of thousands of villagers.

In 2017 the refinery project that was proposed in Nanar was cancelled after a decade long protest from the villagers. But in couple of years' time, the project was again proposed in Barsu, which is 25 km away from Nanar on the other side of the river Anjuna that divides the area.

Villagers of 11 villages in the area are fighting this battle to protect the environment. They are not only fighting for themselves or against the government, they are fighting against Climate Change on our behalf!

#SayNoToRefinery

To read about the issue in detail, read this excellent piece by @AbhijeetgurjarP
scroll.in/article/103785…

Shashikant Warishe was murdered brutally, read about his profile:

m.timesofindia.com/india/yet-anot…